


Four of Us - Coming Home

by BoreasAnemos



Series: Evangelion: the Hangover + Four of Us [1]
Category: Neon Genesis Evangelion
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Group Marriage, Multi, Polyamory, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-04-20
Packaged: 2019-04-24 07:59:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14351265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BoreasAnemos/pseuds/BoreasAnemos
Summary: Once upon a time, a writer known as Strypgia commited a story titled Evangelion: the Hangover, which was about Pilots marrying as a quad (see Inspiration; reading Hangover up to chapter 6. is recommended before reading this one due to numerous references). I thought I like the idea, and with author's consent, wrote a continuation about their married life.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Evangelion: the Hangover](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/371379) by Strypgia. 
  * Inspired by [Evangelion: The Hangover](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15864825) by [Strypgia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Strypgia/pseuds/Strypgia). 



> This story picks up after Evangelion: the Hangover chapter 6. and begins on a plane back to Japan. Some later part intertwine with later Hangover parts, the reading notes will provide the intended reading order.
> 
> For those who chose to forego reading Hangover: this is summer 2021, and PilOT4 recently got married in Las Vegas. Yes, this means they are adult enough for all stuff happening here. Including emotional flashbacks.

The flight to Japan from the eventful – and fateful – time in Las Vegas was filled with mix of residual excitement from the emotional overload they have been subjected to, worry about legitimisation on part of the newlywed quartet, thoughts on how to present the situation to their families from Hikari and Touji, and smug smiles on Misato’s and Kaji part – that sometimes escalated into giggling, as Misato was clearly recalling some funnier part of their trip.

“Good to see that **someone** is not worried about anything,” Asuka growled. While the worst of the hangover was long gone, and she was feeling rather good, there was no reason not to slide in a barb – especially that Misato was still all smug about the events.

Misato gave her an amused look: “Well, now you’re going to learn the fun parts of married life: strange socks everywhere, things you left in known places moving on their own, toilet seat left up-”

“Oi, darling”, up-to-now sleeping Kaji interceded. “ **That** one is a slander, I never leave the lid up!”

“Yes, but I do. And you complain about it. Keep sleeping, **you** have the least to worry here”, she grinned, he smiled back and returned to his slumber.

Asuka rolled her eyes at the exchange. “Misato, I have been living with them for a few years already. Really, I know it, socks, toilet seat, hair in the shower – mostly mine, I admit – and more. Believe me, Shinji is perfect in handling those little nuisances. Well, maybe except things moving on their own, because he imposes his brand of order all the time.”

Misato looked at Shinji with a little surprise in her eyes. “That you like to keep your place orderly, I know. But imposing anything does not sound like you.”

He raised his eyebrow on that. Misato was not sure whether she saw him fighting down a smile, or was it just a figment of her imagination. “I would not call it _imposing_. I just like to know where things are.”

“Well, by this you essentially trying to force them to keep their own order, or have their things ordered as you see fit”, she elaborated. “Not that there is anything wrong with that – except I already had that experience, I could find **nothing** in my apartment for the first few weeks after you moved in – and I sympathise with the sufferers.”

This time, it was Shinji’s turn to roll his eyes. “Misato-san… I was astonished you were able to find anything **before** I moved in. One of greatest regrets of my life is not taking photos of that place before I cleaned it up; they would be a great counterargument against most of your friendly comments.”

Misato and Asuka blinked in concert and looked on one another, while Shinji maintained his deadpan expression. Finally, Asuka spoke: “I’m not sure whether it’s my influence changing you, or Rei’s specific brand of humour rubbing on you. Could be either, but I am guessing it’s me – you’ve been in my bed more often, after all.”

Shinji smiled, and Misato stifled a giggle; for a moment, she was pondering whether she should not be scandalised by that comment. After short deliberation, she reminded herself that while she is still dealing with “her kids”, her erstwhile charges are adults, and – since that fateful night two days ago – married. Massively married. _‘Their life, their fun. I have my boy-toy and my life, let them have theirs.’_ Having reached that conclusion, she smiled, merely shaking her head at Asuka’s usual brashness.

A silent giggle from behind had drawn their attention, making Asuka kneel on her seat and look back at Rei, who apparently woke sometime during the exchange and was listening in. Kaworu was still sleeping with his head in her lap, though, looking ‘far cuter that it was legal in most prefectures’, as Rei was fond of calling that appearance. “Do you wish to contest that claim, Rei? If you do, please share the scandalous details!”, Asuka shot.

The bluenette shook her head and spoke in what passed for amused voice in her case: “No, I do not wish to contest that claim, my dear wife”; Asuka blinked on that statement, her head spinning a bit: _‘it will take some time to get used to that’_ , she thought. _‘But I think I like it. Somehow.’_ She shook it off, knowing that this train of thought will surely return – but she had time to deal with that.

“I just sincerely hope this imbalance of bed-time will be amended in the light of recent events and our… bond. Of course, I do not wish nor dare to deprive you of your Shinji-time”, Rei smiled softly. “Therefore, I am devising a plan of an arrangement that will satisfy us all. And I believe I already have one in mind.” Her smile went from kind and soft to… mischievous? This confused Asuka. _‘Is it even possible for her to plan mischief?’_ , she pondered. _’She gets flirty, yes, but only when drunk, and we’re still stone-sober.’_ “I shall share it with everyone once we are in more private environment”, she finished with conviction.

“And what is stopping you from doing it now?”, Asuka asked before thinking.

“Public decency law”, Rei replied with her usual deadpan.

Asuka could only groan and sink to her seat. _‘Well, things have changed. Shinji is growing a spine. Rei is plotting – and I guess showing a side of herself I never thought she had… I wonder what surprise will Kaworu spring.’_ , she mused with a sigh.

 _‘And I did this to myself. Me. I told them I love them and want to have them all – forever. Gott, I guess my art of self-sabotage has reached another peak, tie myself down like that… Well, this time the advantages outweigh the drama’_ , Asuka concluded with a smile.

 _‘I hope’_ , her smile dimmed a bit. _‘What if…’_

She looked at sleeping Shinji’s face; he was at peace. Nuzzling against his side suddenly seemed to be a good option. _‘No. Enough. I will worry about future tomorrow’_ , she thought while adjusting her body pillow to her comfort. Soon, she fell into best sleep she could muster under these conditions.

***

Shinji was woken by numbness in his arm. Quick look to his right confirmed the leading hypothesis – Asuka was clinging to it, fast asleep. She looked so relaxed and happy, he would rather gnaw the arm off than wake her up… and it seemed a reasonable option, for she was clinging to it so hard, that he suspected that massive loss of circulation had already occurred. So, it was either wake Asuka, or lose an arm.

This was **not** an easy decision. But it was one he had to make fast. Otherwise, by the time of landing, he would not have that appendage.

“Schatz”, he whispered softly, moving his arm by a millimeter. Sleepy murmur was the only answer. “Asuka…”, he pleaded a bit louder, caressing her back with the operational hand. This time, her reaction, while not really vocal, was a little bit more pronounced – she did shift her grip, which apparently unblocked some blood vessel, sending a wave of needles thorough the numb body part. He clenched and released his fist, trying to shake off the feeling. _‘Well, it is a temporary solution, but it has to do’_ , he thought, watching his lover – no, wife – closer.

Wife. A word that sounded so strange to him. A word he always knew now sounded… different. That word was never personal, never truly meaningful. A simple noun, a family relation that had nothing to do with him.

Now, that word had a face. No – _faces_. Eep.

 _‘I guess this is something that will take some more getting used to than I thought’_ , he mused again. He looked across his shoulder, between the seats. Rei was awake, but absent – she was staring out of the window and caressing Kaworu’s head. She was smiling one of her soft smiles; Shinji could only wonder what thoughts caused it.

She and Asuka could not be more different in range of expression – Rei, while exactly as capable of emotion and feeling as Asuka, was one of hardest people to read; on the other hand, her feelings, once made clear, could be felt through her persistent actions: in hindsight, her long-present love and devotion was clear. Asuka, on the other hand, wore her emotions on her sleeve – and everywhere else, too – but was bad at expressing feelings. After all, it took her half a decade of mixed signals before she managed to spit it all out – and propose. Of course, when she did, she did it as everything else she thought worth doing – in an epic-proportion, grand way. He giggled at that vision: the grandeur of the speech, the facial expressions of them all, Asuka’s eyes shining bright when they all accepted… that was an image to cherish. He would love to have his own memories of this, not just the recording. _‘Maybe they will come back. With all what happened there, another miracle would not be a surprise’_ , he thought wishfully before returning to his reflections on emotional ranges.

Kaworu was somewhere in the middle on scale of expressing emotions. He was more expressive than Rei – but far more soft-spoken than Asuka. Before all, he was curious. Adventurous, even.

Kaworu. A husband. **His** husband. Eep.

 **That** was quite another nut to crack.

Shinji had no problem with relationships and intimacy with men – at least since the possibility entered his mind and he gave it good thought. On the other hand, he did not find men other than Kaworu attractive… which brought his train of mind back on the boy – no, a man – whose head was now resting on Rei’s lap, smiling to his dreams.

 _‘How it will look like now?’_ , he mused. _‘All the sex we had was in presence of Asuka and Rei… well, most of it’_ , he blushed at the memories and was suddenly glad Asuka’s head was not in his lap. _‘I wonder how “marital duties” Asuka threatened me – us – with will differ from her perception of “boyfriend duties”’_ , he pondered, smiling again. _‘Kaworu… what are we now?’_

It was not the first time Shinji asked himself that question. His thoughts went back to the time when he was lost and confused – again.

***

_Three months ago_

It was soon after another of the usual break-ups. He and Asuka had a fight; he could not even recall over what it was, even those few days later. Quite possibly the trigger was trivial and meaningless, and the argument simply occurred because some tension had built up. Predictably, the fight ended up with Asuka’s _“We’re **done**! Idiot!”_ , followed by her storming out of the room and refusing to talk to him. And relegating him to the old room of his, as well – by now he was so used to that that he kept a futon ready for that occasion.

Three days later, still ignoring him, she went out for a date with some random guy. Rei was away on one of her research excursions, and Kaworu was nowhere to be seen – he tended to forget to tell anyone where he was going to half the time. Shinji was alone, without a living creature to keep him company; due to their erratic work schedules and lack of consensus on what should it be, they never had agreed on any pet.

He sat in the balcony’s doorway; the cup of tea he made for himself in a vain attempt to lift his mood stood there, ignored from the beginning. Shinji adjusted his position, felt a momentary resistance to his hand, and next thing he saw was the cup keeling over, losing its handle and spilling its already cold content on the whole balcony.

 _‘Great’_ , he thought, _‘I can’t even move without breaking simple things, let alone vital parts of my life’_. He sighed and went for a rag to clean up the mess. _‘At least the floor will be cleaner. I guess this is a plus.’_

Having done the cleaning without much thought given to it, he returned to his spot in the doorway. The moon was rising. Its red tint reset his train of thoughts to Asuka – her angry face, her red hair floating freely and surrounding her like a battle aura of a mythical Fury…

He blinked several times, trying his best not to release tears. It was, of course, futile. _‘I guess I’m not as strong as Asuka. She never cries… except from happiness’_ , he thought. He closed his eyes tight and threw his head against the doorframe. Tears flowed slowly; he ignored them, listening to the wind and letting the images of angry Asuka roll before his eyes.

Shinji jumped and snapped his eyes open when he suddenly felt a touch. A familiar face of Kaworu, washed in lunar light, was looking at him with concern, his palm resting on his shoulder and feeling so warm…

Shinji wanted to say something, but found himself struggling to get out words. Kaworu just smiled and placed a finger on Shinji’s lips. In total silence, disrupted only by the sound of their breathing, he sat himself next to Shinji, his warm hand still in place. He moved it only to gently pull Shinji to himself. Startled at first, Shinji turned his head…

… and found himself staring into the red eyes, smile and warmth in them. Kaworu moved his lips in an inaudible whisper: _“come to me.”_ Shinji obeyed without thinking; realising that, he hesitated for a short moment, but his mind gave him no good reason not to submit. He found himself in warm embrace – only then realising how cold he was until now – and rested his head on Kaworu’s chest. A moment later, Shinji felt a soft kiss on the top of his head.

No words were spoken, but suddenly, he felt less lonely.

It was the strangest comfort. But it was comfort, and in the end, it was all that mattered.

***

_Present_

_‘I suppose that was the night’_ , Shinji thought wistfully. _‘The night it clicked: friend, friend with party benefits, lover… it all somehow fit. Of course, I missed that, and I almost lost it. I was so confused then, too focused on Asuka to act on it.’_ He sighed. _‘As if I am less confused now; well, at least we’re all in the open now. This should help communication.’_

Things will change – of this Shinji was certain. But for the first time in years, he was not that afraid of the coming change.


	2. Chapter 2

Subject of Shinji’s musings was not asleep, despite the appearances. Rei was not deceived – it was nearly impossible to hide one’s condition from her perception, especially when she knew the person in question well and had them at hand – but she was content with caressing him and staring in the distance, lost in her own thoughts. He welcomed the caresses – physical contact has always been pleasant to him. No, not just pleasant – even after so many years, he was hungry for it – be it a handshake, a hug from someone who did not conform to Japanese no-touching taboo, a cuddly movie evening with his lovers, or full-blown sex. This has led him on a long streak of short-to-medium relationships and one-night stands in few years after the War – none of them truly satisfying despite being pleasant and quenching his appetite for affection. In the end, he found himself entangled deeper and deeper into relationship with people that have always been closest to him.

Despite this closeness, Kaworu felt slightly out of place in this new marital arrangement. He did love his spouses, even if he was still in the process of learning what that feeling entailed; and he took the passionate proposal speech of Asuka to his heart. The words and the emotions behind them were still there, warming him up and making him smile every time he thought of that moment. He agreed – on the rational level, at least – with everything Asuka had said, but on the other hand, the facts were clear: his connection to each of them was not as strong as theirs with each other. Shinji and Asuka knew each other for the longest time of them all; they were connected since they met – even accounting for on-and-off nature of their relationship, which was never **that** off, according to what Asuka told him – and he saw their bond as the strongest of all the ties that tied four of them. Rei was connected to both of them as well, in a manner he never truly understood, but never dared to doubt. On his part, he saw himself as linked with Rei – due to their shared nature, not to mention owing her his life – but his link with Asuka and Shinji was far less pronounced.

_‘Still, she sounded convinced that she was right, that she loved me… and when I tried to protest… well, I got yelled at. Affectionately, I assume, considering what happened later.’_ He learned – through a lot of confusion and miscommunication, followed by long and thorough analysis – how to distinguish Asuka’s displays of genuine anger from her showing affection via similar angry outbursts. The success rate was still far from 100% that would satisfy him and allow to avoid incorrect reactions, but he was getting there. Once, he envied Shinji who seemed to be able to tell those apart perfectly; but once he asked for suggestions, he found out that there are far more shades than he ever thought possible.

_“I can usually tell between ‘I’m angry, stay away’ and ‘I’m angry, hug me’”_ – Kaworu recalled Shinji’s answer – _“but there can be ‘I’m angry, I don’t know what to do with myself’, ‘I look fine, but I am few seconds from screaming’… of course, ‘I’m angry and don’t want to know you’ is on the list as well, but this is something you needn’t to worry about”_ – Shinji’s smile was heartbreakingly sad when he tried to say the last one as it was a joke. All in all, this conversation did not help Kaworu understand Asuka.

But it did help him understand Shinji, who was no less important to him, and no less an enigma. Just a quieter one, one where pain was concealed beneath courtesy, kind smile, and overall please-don’t-mind-me attitude. He understood that Japanese culture encouraged this kind of concealment, and he saw it often in Japanese people – but Shinji was not merely following his cultural programming – he raised it to a level of art. An art Kaworu did not appreciate.

He preferred other kinds of art Shinji practiced. His cooking was unparalleled; this, aside being close to people he considered the family he ever had, was the greatest advantage of all Pilots living together. His love of music helped him make his decision, and in somewhat roundabout way, saved Kaworu’s life. Aside that, those hands of a musician were a wonder in so many other circumstances…

He stopped his train of thought before it went too far and deprived him of blood to the brain. _‘Not now, please. Now is not the time. I am absolutely sure there will be plenty of opportunity for that later. Back. Back on track, please.’_

His brain begrudgingly obeyed.

Bonds. Initially, he saw humans – Lilim, as he called them then – as always alone, forced to live eternally separated from each other behind their AT Fields. Later, he learned it was not the truth – some were like that, but then he saw bonds that tied them.

And then he started to experience them himself.

It was hard to pinpoint which bond was the first. It could either be with Rei or Shinji; once one of those bonds formed, the other followed pretty soon. He knew of Shinji first, before coming to Tokyo-3, but the genuine connections – truly human emotions – came later. And along came confusion, problems with labelling what he felt, and the general chaos of the War giving him little time to introspect. The Call and his initial reason for existence did not help things. Only when the end of the War drew closer, Rei saved him from the Call, and they spent the first night together.

That was one of the strangest and fondest memories, one he tended not to think of too often – at least not in public. First time he was truly intimate with someone on so many different levels it made his head spin. It did make him dizzy even now.

He took a deep breath and tried to re-focus. _‘I am the Angel of Free Will. I choose’_ , he chuckled internally, a grim streak tainting that thought. There were times where those words meant difference between life and death – not only to him, but to entire human race.

Those times were thing of the past, thanks to Rei; thanks to Asuka and Shinji as well. Thanks to others that were now his friends. He tended to think – and say – that his participation in the victory was minimal, that he was actually one of the problems, but they usually responded with listing the ways he helped save everyone. _‘I walked the strangest road: from being incarnation of doom and tool of their demise to their lover, their husband. How strong a bond is needed for that to happen?’_ , he mused sometimes. Today, he knew the answer.

In comparison to what tied him to Rei and Shinji, his connection to Asuka was easier to map out. It started with her being suspicious and him being destined to kill her along with rest of the humanity; it then moved into comradeship of arms from being Pilots – and eventually co-conspirators; then, it turned into genuine friendship after the war. Eventually, friendship turned into friendship with occasional benefits.

And then they got married.

_‘If anyone ever tries to make our lives into a screenplay, no one would consider it for realisation. It’s too inane, too improbable, too… optimistic and dark at the same time?’_ , he thought with amusement. _‘I can imagine that: “The characters are too complex, the setting too dark, plot twists are improbable, and this conspiracy! Unrealistic!” And that before even we get into the post-War part – us coming together, breaking up, and coming together again. Rinsing and repeating. Any responsible studio would file it under “soap opera”, classify it as “young adult romance”, or refuse to touch it altogether for the same reason – unrealistic!’_

_‘Well, at least it ended with a marriage, didn’t it?’_ , he smiled internally. It was amusing to think of his life as a fairy tale. A grim one, like the German fairy tales of old, but still a fairy tale. _‘No… not exactly ended. Something ended, but the tale did not’_ , he corrected himself.

_‘For better or worse, I am now one of them’_ , he thought, relaxing and shifting to a more comfortable – if less pleasant – position. That was one of the few things he was certain of. With that thought, he allowed himself to drift to sleep.

***

Kaworu moved and straightened; his head was no longer in Rei’s lap: now he was sitting straight on his seat, head tilted back. Rei smiled at him; change in position made him seek a different point of contact – reflexively or consciously, he took her hand, their fingers now intertwined. Seeing no reason to disturb him, she turned her attention back to the outside.

Rei was happy. Of course, it did not show much on her reserved exterior, but she felt the persistent and growing warmth inside her. Actually, most of her free-floating thoughts at the moment were about exploring her current states and sensations, both physical and mental. They were numerous, and none of them was negative.

The emotional satisfaction and residual giddiness from happiness overload she suffered – no, enjoyed – after realising the marriage and subsequent ‘scientific experiments’ she conducted with her now-spouses. This was certainly going to last, especially that now she had means to reignite that state with just a touch; she squeezed Kaworu’s hand on that thought and had hers squeezed back in a soft, relaxed manner; clearly a reflex, not a conscious effort.

Warmth coming from bond between all four of them being in close proximity; this was going to return every time they are close, and she knew this was something to cherish. Rei sometimes pitied the limited senses of others, unable to perceive bonds as she did; on the other hand, she envied their ability to express their emotions and reach beyond their self, reach to each other. _‘A different set of skills, complementing each other’_ was how she thought of that difference between herself and her loved ones.

Slight soreness of her skin around the newly tattooed wings on her back and Asuka’s name on her face. This will pass; she already researched the proper way to take care of fresh tattoos and was eagerly awaiting the opportunity to take care of everyone’s skin – and have them take care of hers. And while the soreness may pass, the tattoos shall remain.

The sensation in her nether parts that was a result from her kindly asking Asuka to make good on her promise to get her out of her clothes last night – and to let her apologise for the mischievousness during the day. This, along with other little marks on her body, will pass quickly… but Rei was looking forward to those sensations returning, in various configurations and with similar emotional meaning.

The feeling of being loved and claimed – coming from all of the above. This was certainly going to last; she knew from observation – and her limited experience – that feelings change, mutate, differ over time – but if cared for, last. The vows they spoke, the markings on their skins, the acceptance of the circumstances they expressed in the end… All this made Rei feel as she truly _belonged_ to them, that she was truly _claimed_ by her lovers and now-spouses.

Rei suddenly realised that made her aroused to a surprising degree. Granted, in the last few years, sex gradually became something familiar to her, and she was no stranger to feeling arousal. Nonetheless, the intensity of feeling that accompanied the thought of belonging to people she loved was something new and unexpected.

Rei shelved thoughts on that for later consideration, as something certainly worth exploring; but this was hardly the place to do so. While she trusted her body and mind to exercise restraint, she had other – safer – subjects to think of. Subjects of feelings, first and foremost: remaining physical sensations she was feeling were simple things, easily alleviated or augmented as she saw fit.

But the matter of the bonds… this was simultaneously simple and complicated. Simple, because she loved them all, they loved her back, and they were now married, with sense of permanency augmented by the tattoos.

Complicated, because the thought process that was trying to differentiate types of love she felt for each of her spouses repeatedly led to confusion. Asuka was expressive in her speech – Rei actually lacked an adjective to describe the sheer force of emotion behind Asuka’s words – but did not provide much useful data towards naming the feelings and telling them apart. While synthetic part of Rei’s mind had no problem with the amalgamation of emotions she felt, and practical part simply accepted them and rolled on, the analytical side relentlessly tried to understand the situation on its own terms.

So far, it failed.

Rei’s thoughts drifted off from the analysis, focusing on the proposal speech itself. While, as all then-intoxicated participants, she could only remember the recording of the event; on the other hand, she was certain that while none of the present remember the event, her mind must have preserved at least the emotional part of it, if not more. The state of elation she felt while watching the video was familiar to her, a kind of déja vu, despite of not feeling like this before. _‘Maybe, if I search long enough, I can find it?’_ , she mused. It was another thing to consider sooner or later.

A skein of geese came into view, providing a momentary distraction. Traveling in concert, following simple rules that organised them, focused on a distant goal. Rei blinked, her train of thought interrupted by the observation her mind recorded and filed away. Another train of thought entered to the vacated mindspace.

Asuka even called Rei a “goddess”. A term Rei was not used to hear. _“Promising student”_ , yes, from her teachers. _“Brilliant”_ , for sure, from many. _“Fucking doll”_ was, fortunately, thing of the past, but _“cold and distant”_ , _“beautiful, but inaccessible”_ , or the old _“ice queen”_ still happened sometimes, used behind her back by people unaware of her acute senses. People she worked with on her research projects knew her well enough, but even they had had to adjust, and often failed to read her correctly, sometimes resulting in misunderstandings. _“Ayanami is fine to approach, but don’t break her focus unless you need something urgent. Talk to her when she is not working”_ has become something of a mantra, an axiom given to people new to the research team. They usually listened, and gradually realised she could be talked to. _‘But do they really understand? Did they really care?’_ , Rei pondered, not for the first time. For most of the time, the answer was _“no, and I think I would like them to”_. Now, this answer was changing. The new one was still nebulous, but it was close to _“no, I have now people who understand, and the rest of the world matters less”_.

Rei was aware of dangers that lie on that path, but for now, she was content she could allow herself the freedom to think like this. She would have hated being called _“Wondergirl”_ in the past – if she has had been able to feel that in her then-condition – but now, this label was a term of endearment. She giggled when she recalled one of the times Asuka called her that. _“Wonder…girl… you r’lly work wonder with that t–”, Asuka managed to get out, rest of the sentence cut off by an inarticulate moan. “Kkkkeep ittt upp” was all the redhead was able to say afterwards. Rei was pleased – her research has proven valuable and effective in bringing comfort to a woman she loved._ It was a night brought by unfortunate circumstances – another break-up, Asuka feeling stupid about it, but refusing to admit it – but it had a few good moments.

A goddess. That term that was technically correct, for a given definition of divinity – not that she felt very divine. Rei could not stop wondering what exactly prompted Asuka to use it in that specific case. Of course, a very probable reason was _“because I could, it felt right at the time, and it fits you perfectly, so don’t dissect it, Wondergirl”_ ; if asked, Asuka would likely provide that answer. Yet Rei knew that motivations could often laid in subconsciousness, and the could be something more behind it. _‘This is another thing for later consideration – and actually ask my dear wife for explanation’_ , Rei thought and silently giggled at the term. Sliding into new labels for her now-spouses came easy to her. This was a complicated subject before the wedding; the labels often changed, not only in regard to her. Shinji to Asuka could be _boyfriend_ at one point, _that-idiot-I-am-not-talking-to-and-about_ in the other, and _my best fucktoy_ few days after. For her it was a bit easier: Asuka was usually _friend_ , sometimes someone between _lover_ and _friend-with-benefits_ ; Rei to Asuka was _friend_ , _lover_ , or _lovely pillow_ , as she called Rei in affectionate, afterglow-tinted pillow talk after seeking comfort in her arms. Shinji was also _friend_ , sometimes maybe _boyfriend_ – if they dated long enough to justify the term, of which Rei was never sure. Kaworu was always _friend_ , although he tended to call her _my saviour_ , a term Rei was vaguely uncomfortable with for several reasons. _‘I guess I could call him “friend-with-benefits at times”, but this felt too… specific, too… limiting’_ , she mused over several times they shared a bed, celebrating the simple joy of life. It never developed into a steady relationship, but they always remained close – and retained the habit when time and other relationships permitted.

Now it all became simple. Asuka was her _wife_ , Kaworu and Shinji were her _husbands_. They had her last name, and she had their names inscribed on her flesh. She was theirs.

Rei realised a bit too late that there was a good reason she shelved that train of thought. She started to feel a bit funny, and raising her hand to her cheek, she realised she was blushing – hard. _‘It’s ironic that of all body functions, arousal is one that does not submit to control as much as I would like it to’_ , she thought while taking deep breaths. She heard a murmur of protest from Kaworu next to her, and realised she squeezed his hand – hard. She forced another exhale, calming herself a bit, and relaxed the grip. While Kaworu’s body was resilient, her own strength could easily prove a match to his resilience – and a medical emergency was the last thing they needed to add to their trouble.

Rei’s accelerated breathing did not remain unnoticed. A concerned eye peeked between the seats. “Rei? Are you all right?”, Shinji inquired from his seat. “You seem… hot”, he added in a worried tone.

‘Well, thank you’ was something that sprang to Rei’s mind as first response. She chided herself at this – this was not a laughing situation: Shinji was clearly worried, and a joke would be inappropriate. “I am… fine. Just a little…”, Rei stumbled at lack of proper description; on one hand, she did not want to elaborate on her situation, not in a public place; on the other, she did not like to lie, especially to someone so close to her as Shinji was.

She noticed some fumbling in the seats before her, some hushed voices, and Asuka’s unconscious sounds of protest. Before she could act on it, Shinji was kneeling in his seat, reaching to touch her face. She blushed harder.

“Rei? You **are** hot”, he repeated.

“Ebue”, another voice joined in incoherently. “Of course she izz…”, half-conscious female voice joined the discussion. “White-searing hot, actually, and she could… oi, wait, what is going on?”, Asuka shook her grogginess and jumped up, joining Shinji in doting over Rei.

Rei was now blushing more from the embarrassment on the commotion she caused: “Please, nothing is going on”, she protested, “I am fine”, she inhaled and exhaled again. “I am little flustered, that is all.” She paused for a moment: “I promise I will explain that later”, she added in smaller voice.

Asuka and Shinji exchanged looks. “All right”, Asuka agreed reluctantly. “You know best.” After a pause, she added with a grin “but you **do** look hot with that blush”. In response, Rei made a motion to hide from their eyes; regrettably, limited space of a plane seat gave her little options. She could only hide her head in her shoulders and drop her eyes. Shinji giggled at the sight: “I must agree with Asuka here, it’s a rare but a welcome sight to see you blush to that degree.”

Rei looked up at them with exasperation and a silent plea for release from their attention. A treacherous thought in her mind chimed in: _‘and I am going to explain this blush to them, and tell them how to cause it, won’t I?’_ In reaction, she facepalmed softly with her free hand. “Thank you, but you are **not** helping”, she muttered from behind the palm. On that cue, she noticed a stir in a seat next to her.

“Is there some discussion I am being left out of?”, Kaworu asked in a sleepy voice. Shinji and Asuka exchanged looks again: “Actually, there is”, Shinji confirmed. “And your opinion is actually direly needed”, she added with a tiny wry smile.

Rei hid her face under her palm as best as she could and let out a small groan.


	3. Chapter 3

“Asuka, I refuse to bite that bait, I will not answer that question!”, Shinji protested as vehemently as he could without raising his voice and causing undue commotion. “You’re putting me in a corner here, **and you know it**!”

“I know. It is always fun to see you squirm. And I perfectly know the answer, anyway”, Asuka grinned at him and received an exasperated glare in return. Kaworu had a thoughtful expression on his face – or at least he tried to, because smile was creeping in despite his best attempts to hide it. Rei was doing what she could – at least without resorting to her less mundane abilities – to hide on her seat: she slumped and concealed her blushing face in her hands.

“Could we _not_? Please?”, she pleaded with her voice tiny and muffled. Asuka just looked at her and stated with a grin: “You look so adorable I could kiss you senseless.” Another small groan was all she received in response, prompting a giggle. “Absolutely adorable. All right”, she turned her attention to Shinji. “If you refuse to answer my question, I shall exact retribution!” She sank to her seat and pulled Shinji down to his. Next thing he felt was her arm across him and her lips on his, soon followed by a tongue in his mouth. Teeth joined soon after.

Shinji relented. His girlfriend – no, his _wife_ – has returned to the known phase, known as ‘maniacally in love with you and making out with you whenever I feel like it’. He could only hope it will not turn into ‘stay the fuck away from me’ too soon.

***

Misato has been watching this scene from her seat for a while now; Asuka asking _“who is the most beautiful woman you know?”_ could be easily an attempt to start an argument, and she was relieved when it proved to be merely Asuka’s way to tease Shinji.

She sighed discreetly. _‘This whole trip has been a rollercoaster – and the ride is not over yet_ ’, she though, mixed feelings making her more troubled than she would admit. Misato was aware that her kids – she still could not shake that thinking about them, their independence be damned – were in for far more emotional turmoil than they realised.

She knew enough of their love life to be aware that the current arrangement was likely for the best – this marriage, assuming they all accept it in the end, had a chance to eliminate a lot of break-up and come-back messes that weighed heavily on them over the years. But she also knew from experience – even if it was definitely not experience she was going to discuss with them – that non-monogamy was not the easiest ground to tread on. _‘Still, what can I do? Wish them the best and let them sort it out themselves. Nothing good will come from meddling into their feelings; that I learned the hard way few years back. So, sit back, old hag, and speak only when they ask for your help’_ , she concluded, trying to get her mind off that track.

 _‘I wonder whether there will be a proper wedding reception. Two grooms to dance with, and I bet they both be killing it in a proper attire. Shinji will need a new suit, though… he certainly is taking it after his father when it comes to his body developing. And I don’t think Kaworu has any appropriate suit at all’_. She shook her head and leaned back. _‘Stop that, you stupid mother hen. You are **not** their **mother** , it’s not for you to plan their weddings. Wedding. You’re their friend. Think of the gift you’d give them, and the dress for yourself, maybe a suit for your husband’_, Misato chided herself. _‘Speaking of dress… I wonder how the girls would look in white dress… or maybe they’d prefer kimonos?’_

She smiled at the picture: boys, dressed to kill in their suits; girls, both in fairy-tale-like wedding dresses. Her perception shifted for a moment, and she saw them in more traditional Japanese wear – looking equally beautiful and handsome in wedding kimonos. _‘I’ll have to poke them about that, once they manage to leave the bedroom after we’re back. Do not suggest anything large, anything fancy… just a simple party for friends and family’_ , she decided, and paused. _‘Family. All in all, they have a chance to finally have a proper one. Their own.’_

She looked sideways at Kaji, who was snoring softly on the seat next to her, his try-to-make-me-shave face relaxed and without a worry in the world. _‘Everyone gets their shot at happiness, hm? Don’t waste yours, kids.’_

***

Asuka woke up from an indistinct dream. She could recall something about running around a big, dark castle, looking for something, maybe hiding? The place was something out of a nightmare, but the dream itself was not: she knew her nightmares, and she knew they never came when Shinji was close. Just some dream about looking for something, but without the insane emotions that happened in nightmares.

 _‘Still, funny metaphor for what happened…’_ , she thought, wryly. She yawned lazily, stretched, and looked around. Everyone else was asleep; it was slowly getting dark outside and the inside of the plane was silent. Only distant, soft murmurs and some snoring suggested any human activity; quick glance at the clock told her they were less than an hour from the arrival time; the lights of – presumably – Japan were already visible.

 _‘Home, sweet home’_ , she thought. _‘Heh. We left as a gaggle of misfits with issues, we’re returning as a family. Of misfits with issues, of course, but this is an improvement. I think.’_

Asuka was conflicted. She **did** feel happy – “ _I managed to cut the Gordian knot by tying the knot!”_ , as she triumphantly told her spouses once her initial shock at seeing her own proposal speech wore off, deal was closed, and dust from collecting Misato and Kaji had settled. “ _And become the mistress of Asia… well, those parts of Asia I hold most dear”_ , she finished with a grin and led them off to a celebratory dinner – this time, on nearly everyone’s insistence, with less alcohol – while those better-read explained the metaphor to those confused.

She grinned again at that memory. That day started truly weird but ended on a high note… at least the public part. The private part that happened later… ‘ _Well, I guess Shinji would call it ended “forte”?’_ she grinned wider and her cheeks flushed a small bit. Even after Asuka fulfilled her thread – or promise – of getting back on Rei for all the horrible puns she made them suffer, Rei was softly insistent on ‘her punishment’ to continue after dinner. Asuka was having a hard time saying ‘no’ to her. _‘Not after accidentally reaching into my pocket and finding a reminder of that lovely minx’s mischief. Not after Shinji and Kaworu behaved like damned **lovebirds** over the dinner. Not after they turned into **fucking** lovebirds afterwards. Not after Shinji’s offer of assistance with Rei…’_ , she blushed harder. Quick scan of the area around indicated she was safe from prying eyes, but she knew she had to stop that thinking soon, especially that a make-out session with Shinji those few hours prior left her tingling with… anticipation. She shook her head. Aside being happy, she felt confused.

 _‘Shouldn’t I feel jealous of them? Of Kaworu? Of Rei? I suppose I should. Why aren’t I?’_ She has been in the past. Girls that looked at Shinji. Girls that asked Shinji out. Shinji’s date when Kaworu dragged him on a double-date after particularly long break in their relationship.

 _‘I wanted to go there and claw that girl’s eyes out. I really considered it. Not my proudest moment’_ , she sighed. _‘Yes, all of them. I was jealous. But…’_ Asuka stopped and peeked back and sleeping Rei. _‘Not of her. When they started dating, I was feeling bad… but I couldn’t be angry at **her**. I was angry at **him** , but that felt so normal, so expected…’_

_‘And then she pushed him, literally, back into my arms. Without a regret. And comforted me when it fell apart again.’_

_‘And he forgave the stupid reasons for the break-up. As he always did. And always apologised, sincerely, when he thought it was his fault. And often when he wasn’t.’_

_‘And this stupid Angel of Fluff, Love and Fluffy Love. He was always there. Comforting me, over and over. Comforting Shinji, caring for him. Loving Rei.’_

_‘I don’t deserve them’_ , she hid her face in her hands. _‘But I do love them. And they do love me. They took me, the worthless Drama Queen, the girl that caused a whole lot of mess in their lives. The girl that ran away so many times, that almost ran away for good. They just accepted me.’_

Asuka realised her face was wet, and so were her hands. Tears rolled freely down her cheeks, but she failed to notice that until now. For a second, panic gripped her: she never let anyone see her like that in public, not since she was four. Only her lovers – now, her spouses – saw her that vulnerable, and it was not that common, either. _‘Yet another reason I don’t deserve them. They saw my lows, all of them, and still said “yes”.’_ She bit hard on her lip and took a deep breath. Fortunately for her, another quick scan confirmed no one was looking.

_‘And I am **not** letting them go. Not one of them. Not anymore. Not ever. Not until death us part. And perhaps even not then.’_

The silence that surrounded Asuka was the only witness to her thoughts. She let the tears flow in silence for a little while longer before doing her best to recover and prepare to look fine.

The world did not have to know.

***

“What do you mean ‘wrong’?! Nothing is **wrong** with them!”, Asuka’s voice was approaching the sound of a snarling predator. She was annoyed already, when their flight had to wait for landing. She was clearly irritated heading out through long passageways of the airport. Now, when they had been stopped on some desk over a data discrepancy, she was quickly heading towards ‘livid’. People who knew her were aware that ‘furious’ was not far off, and not a good thing.

“I am sorry, ma’am, something seems to be out of order with your papers. If you calm down, I will do my best to work it out”, a young official was doing his best to placate a scary, redheaded ball of irritation in front of him. Rest of the group tried their best not to draw attention. They were all tired; trans-oceanic travels are never easy on body and mind, and while some of the people involved were used to them more than the others – for Kaji, it was like another day on the job – most were not.

“While your numbers check out, there seems to be some confusion regarding the names… there are no direct matches, but some of them seem similar…”, the clerk trailed off, clearly trying to make heads and tails of the data in front of him. Hikari’s reasoning clicked first. “Of course. Yes”, she rummaged through her bag for a moment. “Here”, she addressed the clerk while handing him the marriage certificate. “I got married abroad. It’s _Hikari Suzuhara_ now.” Her face lit up a bit banishing the signs of exhaustion for a moment.

“Oh. I see. I see”, the man nodded. “It seems the wedding location transferred the information to prefecture’s office… and it’s in our new citizen registration system now. Amazing efficiency, it’s country-wide… I see.” He quickly scanned the passport and recorded information. “Thank you, ma’am, please keep in mind you will have to request new identification”, he added.

“Yes, of course, I will. Thank you”, Hikari bowed.

In the meantime, the quad of newlyweds was engaged in internal discussion. Asuka managed to cool down – good news for everyone involved, and for the national security. But the issue at hand still stood: they were trying to determine who had the certificate. It took about ten minutes of thorough searches, whispered accusations, and fifteen other passengers passing the desk before they managed to find the document, orient it properly, and decide who was going to present it. Last part gathered them some glares: apparently, quick paper-scissor-rock matches were not common in airport queues.

Kaworu stepped forward, followed by the rest. He handed the officer the marriage certificate: “We got married as well”, he stated, as calmly as he could.

“Ah, yes, Mr… Mr… Soryu-Ayanami… Hmmmm…”

Kaworu found himself starting to sweat. Not that he was not used to social situations but dealing with authority was something he was not used to, and certainly not something he _liked_. Especially in a situation that could prove complicated. His legal status might have been established properly in the wake of NERV-related changes after the War, but he never truly tested how thorough his legalisation was.

“I am afraid this does not make much sense”, the clerk started with increasingly confused voice. “Your papers say ‘Kaworu Nagisa’, and you seem to have assumed a double name that has nothing to do with yours… same for Mr. Shinji… Ikari, now Soryu-Ayanami… Mrs. Soryu, now Soryu-Ayanami… Mrs. Ayanami… oh. This starts…”, the clerk paused, making everyone light up with hope. “No, this still makes little sense. If you excuse me and please wait a moment”, the clerk picked up the phone, making everyone slump back into tiredness.

Kaworu sighed. He did not envy the man; this had to be a problem for him as well, and while he had to know English due to his line of work, the marriage certificate was far from what one would expect from a clear and standard document. Suzuharas had the same type of certificate, but it had the expected two names and one of the people had a name change – a simple case, a common one. On their certificate, there were **four** names, and all of them were changed in the process. Everything was within the realms of possibility, and within the law – although Kaworu was not entirely sure what _Japanese_ law said about their quad arrangement – but the amount of the unusual events and circumstances most likely crossed the young official’s threshold of “I can handle that routinely”, speeded past “I have to think how to handle it”, and was rapidly passing “I need to consult my superiors lest I make a mistake that will shame me forever” level.

Kaworu understood the man’s plight. But he was also perfectly aware that Asuka’s temporary lack of violent approach could be very temporary indeed. And that was the thought that disturbed him most at the time, trumping even his own exhaustion.

In the end, the resolution required calling in a senior clerk who had more experience in handling ‘irregular’ cases – Kaworu found it slightly amusing how the official fought to keep to the proper terminology and avoided calling the case _insane_ or _messed-up_ – recounting of the entire story – Kaworu had to remind himself to focus on _marriage_ , omitting the _party_ before and _consummation_ after, not to mention the whole _recovery and rescue_ process the next day – and reassurances that they will bring the documents in order as soon as reasonably possible. By the end of it, his patience has worn thin.

***

The fear of Asuka-originating explosion came around once more at luggage pick-up. But the delay has proven to be minimal, and Asuka was simply too tired to care. The party split in three, said their good-byes, and each returned to their own place by a separate taxi. On the way, the four simply kept close; too tired to talk, but not too tired to look out for each other. Once they reached the apartment, suitcases went into corners, and bathrooms became things most desired.

They were home.

***

Shinji pulled out some frozen ingredients and started on a simple supper; they did have a meal on the plane, of course, but it was hours ago, food never tasted well in the clouds, and sleeping with an empty stomach did not sound well to anyone. Once basics were set up, Shinji gladly accepted Kaworu’s offer to watch over the pots and took a shower himself; only distraction that happened on the way was being stopped by freshly-showered Asuka and given a warm and steamy hug. “Thank you”, she whispered in his ear before moving on. He blinked in confusion; _‘I’ll have to ask later’_ , he thought. Actually, there were many things to touch on later. But this was a proper qualification: later. Now, it was time to shower, eat, and go to sleep. Jet lag was a murder.

He got out of the shower just in time to assist in serving the food. He smiled at the fact that everyone was in the most comfortable clothing they could find: Asuka, Kaworu, and he in their pyjamas, Rei in her soft bathrobe. For a second, part of his brain wondered why Rei did not put her pyjama; less tired part of his brain reminded her she never owned any. This conclusion did not help his cognitive capabilities; suddenly, he was glad that he was already sitting behind a table.

***

“Goodnight, every-”, Shinji tried to say once he got out of the bathroom after brushing his teeth. He stopped in his tracks once he saw his spouses performing some manoeuvres with futons. “Guys?”

“Ah, good. Do you prefer us on the left, the right, or on both sides?”, Rei asked in a very matter-of-fact tone. Before Shinji could answer, Asuka chimed in with sleepy voice: “Just push the bed to the wall, put them on the other side in case someone falls, and come to bed, all of you. I’m tiiiiree-” a large yawn cut the rest off.

Rei looked at Kaworu, and Kaworu looked at Rei. They both smiled, and the bed with Asuka on it slowly levitated towards the wall. Shinji rolled his eyes: _‘Well, yes, this **is** the fastest way, but I am sure some hapless technician at Geofront is now scrambling to check the Blue Pattern Alarm. They will see it originated here and ceased, and hopefully not call for recon or Eva alarm…’_. The War was over, but the sensor networks have not been dismantled. After all, no one truly knew whether it was all over, and in military, paranoia tended to be the way of life – or, as they preferred to call it, ‘being prepared’.

He shook the thoughts off and approached the newly-placed bed. It was technically Asuka’s room, and she had a large bed they both slept in when they were on good terms – but large meant ‘fit for three’, not for four. _‘Well, I guess one or two nights with one more will not kill us. And then we’ll have to think of something else.’_

He turned around to ask Kaworu a question about futons – and realised this might have been a mistake. Rei already disrobed – and was standing less than half a meter from him, smiling her small smile, perfectly innocent in her nudity. Perfectly distracting, as well. “Yes, dear husband?”, she smirked. “Should I put something more… decent… on, to avoid distracting you?”

 _‘… and perfectly aware of the effect she is having on me. If she keeps up this game, next few days may be… interesting. Or few next weeks’_ , he realised.

Little did he know how wrong he was.

Despite his brain still operational – at least marginally – Shinji found himself unable to answer coherently. Kaworu entered the room carrying his futon and stopped in his track. Rei looked at him equally sweetly and asked the same question, in the same innocent tone. Brains of both men were whirring, deciding between a bluescreen and turning off due to lack of blood. Rei seemed… amused.

The stalemate was broken by a muffled voice from the bed: “Shtop fooling ‘round! I want my body pillow, sho come to **bed**! Or’ll come to youu…” Asuka made a threat, waving her hand, fingers curled in claws, rest of her body wrapped in covers.

Rei put her finger on her lips and cocked her head. “I believe I have a solution for this. All of this. Kaworu, please put the futon down next to the bed, as we discussed; Shinji – please go assist Asuka in acquiring a body pillow. You are one she is most familiar with in that capacity. I believe I can take care of the remaining issues that have arisen.”

***

 _‘Rei certainly makes good on her word’_ , Shinji thought, drifting to sleep while holding Asuka, being held by Rei, and feeling Kaworu’s hand on his side. He wondered briefly whether the bruises that had to be forming on his thighs will be recognisable as bite marks – if so, it would be wise to think of an explanation before resuming his training routine – but decided to worry about that in the morning. His last conscious thought was: _‘Will it last? I’d like to see it last…’_. Surrounded by happy murmurs and soft snoring from all sides, he drifted away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This concludes the first installment of the story. Next is the eight chapter of Hangover, followed by Four of Us - Settling in.


End file.
